A typical goal of the ongoing development of data networks involves improving user experience, which is often a function of the amount bandwidth that can be allocated to competing client devices. Network connectivity problems, where there is a loss of connection, or a slow or latent connection, negatively impact the user experience. In ad hoc wireless networks, such as IEEE 802.11 WiFi, bandwidth (or channel access) is dynamically shared among a number of client devices. Competition between devices complicates management of network resources, such as bandwidth. Additionally, the liberty with which a client device may join a network and move throughout the network coverage area also complicates network management. With regard to network planning, it is generally not possible to determine beforehand the volume of traffic and the geographical distribution of that traffic throughout the network coverage area. As users with mobile devices use the freedom associated with wireless connectivity to move throughout the network coverage area, traffic and congestion patterns fluctuate based on the actual usage of space within the network coverage area.
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